Latch system

ABSTRACT

A connection system for a modular structure is provided. The connection system includes a plurality of connector assemblies that connect a first structure module to a second structure module. The connection system additionally includes at least one retaining pin. The retaining pin is used to maintain a respective connector assembly in a locked state, thereby connecting the first and second structure modules in a steadfast manner. Each connector assembly includes a first catch affixed to a first member of the first structure module and a second catch affixed to a first member of the second structure module. The first and second catches are formed to interlock under linear movement of the first structure module relative to the second structure module. To maintain the first and second catches in the interlocked state, the retaining pin is positioned into a space between the first catch of the respective connector assembly and a second member of the second structure module when the first catches interlock with the second catches.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the assembly of rack assemblies andmore particularly to a connection system to securely connect variouscomponents of the rack assembly in an expeditious and efficient manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modular structures, such as automated test equipment racks, include aplurality of modules that can be transported from one location toanother and then assembled to make the resulting structure. Typically,to assemble such modular structures, the various modules are stacked ontop of each other and/or adjacent each other then connected, latched,coupled or joined together to create a tower or multiple connectedtowers. The structures can then be disassembled when needed andreassembled at a different location. The mechanisms, assemblies ordevices used to connect and disconnect the individual modules are oftenexpensive and unreliable, and/or cumbersome, time consuming anddifficult to operate.

Therefore, it is desirable to have a cost effective connection systemthat will allow the various modules of modular structures to attach toeach other readily and reliably and that can be disassembled just aseasily.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A connection system for a modular structure, for example a modular racksystem, is provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The connection system includes a plurality ofconnector assemblies that connect a first structure module to a secondstructure module. The connection system additionally includes at leastone retaining pin. The retaining pin is used to maintain a respectiveconnector assembly in a locked state, thereby connecting the first andsecond structure modules in a steadfast manner. Each connector assemblyincludes a first catch affixed to a first member of the first structuremodule and a second catch affixed to a first member of the secondstructure module. The first and second catches are formed to interlockunder linear movement of the first structure module relative to thesecond structure module. To interlock the first and second catches thefirst and second structure modules are placed adjacent each other sothat the first members of the first and second modules are adjacent,coplanar and parallel. The first, second or both structure modules arethen moved relative to each other along a longitudinal line that isparallel to the first members.

The retaining pin is slidably connected to a second member of the firststructure module and adapted to be positioned into a space between thefirst catch of the respective connector assembly and a second member ofthe second structure module when the first catches interlock with thesecond catches. In a preferred embodiment, the first catches are affixedto an inner side of the first member of the first structure module andextend adjacent to an inner side of the first member of the secondstructure module. Therefore, the first structure module can not moveother than along the longitudinal line due to interference between thefirst catches and the first member of the second structure module.Alternatively, the second catches are affixed to an inner side of thefirst member of the second structure module and extend adjacent to aninner side of the first member of the first structure module. Thus, thesecond structure module can not move other than along the longitudinalline due to interference between the second catches and the first memberof the first structure module.

The features, functions, and advantages of the present invention can beachieved independently in various embodiments of the present inventionsor may be combined in yet other embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a sectional isometric view of a modular structure having aplurality of modules connected together using a connection system inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a locking connector assembly of a connectionsystem shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a non-locking connector assembly of theconnection system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a locking connector assembly of a connectionsystem shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with an alternate preferredembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of connecting a pluralityof modules to form the module structure shown in FIG. 1.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description of the preferred embodiments is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application or uses. Additionally, the advantages provided by thepreferred embodiments, as described below, are exemplary in nature andnot all preferred embodiments provide the same advantages or the samedegree of advantages.

FIG. 1 is a sectional isometric view of a modular structure 10 includinga plurality of modules 14 connected together using a connection system18, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.The connection system 18 allows the modules 14 to attach to each othersecurely, readily and reliably in a manner that also allows theresulting structure to be disassembled just as easily. Although themodular structure is shown in FIG. 1 as a rack system, such as anautomated test equipment rack, it should be understood that theconnection system 18 is applicable to any structure assembled byconnecting a plurality of modules 14. Additionally, although the modules14 of the structure 10 shown in FIG. 1 are shown as a framework or rackmodules, it should be understood that the modules 14 could have any formsuitable for implementation of the connection system 18, as describedherein. For example, the modules 14 can comprise framework modules withpanels attached to the framework, molded components, e.g. panels, joinedto form the various modules and properly cast to allow attachment of theconnection system 18 or molded modules properly cast to allow attachmentof the connection system 18. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 illustratestwo modules 14, shown as first module 14A and second module 14B, itshould be understood that the connection system 18 can be utilized toconnect any number of modules 14, as described in detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the connection system 18 includes aplurality of connector assemblies 22, best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and aretaining pin 26. The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes twoconnector assemblies 22; however, the invention is not so limited. Eachconnector assembly includes a first catch 30 and a second catch 34 thatmate together in an interlocking manner. The mating catches 30 and 34,also referred to herein as brackets, can mate in any suitableinterlocking fashion and are not restricted to have the exemplary‘male/female’ interlocking form shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. For example,the first catch 30 could have a lip along an edge and the second catchcould have a similar lip along an edge such that the lips overlap tointerlock the catches 30 and 34. Furthermore, although FIGS. 1, 2 and 3illustrate the catches 30 and 34 having an over and under, or upper andlower, relationship when interlocked, it should be understood thatcatches 30 and 34 could have a side-by-side relationship wheninterlocked. Therefore, the connection system 18 is applicable forconnecting the modules 14 stacked on top of each other, alignedside-by-side or in any other orientation.

Each first catch 30 is attached to a first member 38 of the first module14A and the second catch 34 is connected to a first member 42 of thesecond module 14B. The first and second catches 30 and 34 can beattached to the respective first members 38 and 42 using any suitableconnecting means. For example, first and second catches 30 and 34 can beriveted, soldered, glued, screwed, bolted or spot welded to therespective first members 38 and 42. The first members 38 and 42 aresupport structures along an edge of respective modules 14 that will bealigned, i.e. parallel and coplanar, and adjacent each other when themodules 14 are placed together. For example, if the modules 14 comprisejoined molded panels, the first members 38 and 42 could be supportivesplines along the respective edges, or if the modules are rack frames,the first members 38 and 42 could be struts or supports that form theframes. The first and second catches 30 and 34 mate in the interlockingfashion by placing the first module 14A adjacent the second module 14Bsuch that the first members 38 and 42 are positioned adjacent in alongitudinally aligned, coplanar orientation. Then by moving either thefirst module 14A and/or the second module 14B relative to each otheralong a longitudinal line parallel with the first members 38 and 42, thefirst catches 30 interlock with the second catches 34.

To retain the connector assemblies 22, i.e. the first and second catches30 and 34, in the interlocked state, the retaining pin 26 is positionedin a space between the first catch 30 of one of the connector assemblies22 and a second member 46 of the second module 14B. Preferably, theretaining pin 26 fills the entire space between the first catch 30 ofone of the connector assemblies 22 and a second member 46 of the secondmodule 14B. Accordingly, the connector assemblies 22 that cooperate witha retaining pin 26 are also referred to herein as locking connectorassemblies 22 while the other connector assemblies that do not cooperatewith a retaining pin are sometimes referred to herein as non-lockingconnector assemblies 22. Similar to the first member 42, describedabove, the second member 46 is support structure along another edge ofrespective second modules 14B that is generally at a right angle to thefirst member 42. For example, the second member 46 could be supportivesplines in a molded panel or a strut of a rack frame. In a preferredembodiment, the retaining pin 26 includes a recessed slotted aperture 50through which a shoulder bolt 54 is inserted and threaded into a secondmember 58 of the first module 14A. Therefore, the retaining pin 26 canbe easily slidably inserted into and removed from the space between thefirst catch 30 and the second member 46 of the second module 14B. If thefirst and second modules 14A and 14B are assembled in a vertical manner,the retaining pin is slidably coupled to the second member 58 of thefirst module 14B such that when the first and second catches 30 and 34are fully engaged and interlocked, the retaining pin drops into thespace via gravity. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the retainingpin 26 is slidably coupled to the first member 38 of the first module14A, as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, the illustration shown in FIG. 1 is a sectionalview of an exemplary modular structure 10. Therefore, it should beunderstood that in one preferred embodiment, the modular structure 10includes another portion, not shown, that is effectively a mirror imageof the portion shown and includes another connection system 18. In whichcase, the two connections systems 18 would form a bilateral connectionsystem that includes two of the locking connector assemblies 22 and twoof the non-locking connector assemblies 22. Alternatively, the bilateralconnection system could include a single locking connector assembly 22and at least two non-locking connector assemblies 22, or at least twolocking connector assemblies 22 and at least one non-locking connectorassembly 22.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connection system 18 is affixed to the first andsecond modules 14A and 14B along an inner side of the first members 38and 42. In a preferred embodiment, the first catches 30 extend past anedge of the first member 38 of the first module 14A so that a portion ofthe first catches 30 will be adjacent the first member 42 of the secondmodule 14B. Thus, when the first and second modules are positionedadjacent each other, e.g. stacked or side-by-side, the portion of thefirst catches 30 extending adjacent the first member 42 of the secondmodule 14B prevents the first and second modules 14A and 14B frommoving, with respect to each other, in any direction other than alongthe longitudinal line parallel with the first members 38 and 42. In analternative preferred embodiment, the second catches 34 extend past anedge of the first member 42 of the second module 14B so that a portionof the second catches 34 will be adjacent the first member 38 of thefirst module 14A. Thus, when the first and second modules are positionedadjacent each other, e.g. stacked or side-by-side, the portion of thesecond catches 34 extending adjacent the first member 38 of the firstmodule 14A prevents the first and second modules 14A and 14B frommoving, with respect to each other, in any direction other than alongthe longitudinal line parallel with the first members 38 and 42.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart 100 illustrating a method of connecting aplurality of the modules 14 to form the module structure 10, shown inFIG. 1. Initially, the first and second modules 14A and 14B are placedadjacent each other, i.e. stacked or side-by-side, such that the firstmember(s) 38 of the first module 14A is/are aligned with, adjacent toand essentially in contact with the first member(s) 42 of the secondmodule 14B, as indicated at 102. This positions the first and secondcatches 30 and 34 of the locking connector assemblies 22 adjacent eachother in a non-interlocked relation. Similarly, the first and secondcatches 30 and 34 of the non-locking connector assemblies 22 are therebypositioned adjacent each other in a non-interlocked relation. Either thefirst module 14A or the second module 14B is then moved relative to theother module along a longitudinal line parallel with the firststructural members 38 and 42 of the first and second modules 14A and14B, as indicated at 104. This movement causes the first catches 30 tointerlock with the second catches 34.

Once the first catches 30 are interlocked with the second catches 34,the retaining pin 26 is positioned in a space between the first catch 30of the locking connector assembly 22 and the second structural member 46of the second module 14B, as indicated at 106. The retaining pin 26,therefore, retains the first catches 30 interlocked with the secondcatches 34 until the retaining pin 26 is withdrawn from the spacebetween the first catch 30 of the locking connector assembly 22 and thesecond structural member 46 of the second module 14B. In one preferredembodiment, gravity causes the retaining pin 26 to drop between thefirst catch 30 of the locking connector assembly 22 and the secondstructural member 46 of the second module 14B.

Thus, the first catches 30 interlock with the second catches 34 bymoving the first module 14A in a longitudinal direction and theretaining pin locks the first and second catches in the interlockedstate, thereby providing a cost effective connection system that allowsthe modules 14 to attach to each other readily and reliably.

Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoingdescription that the broad teachings of the present invention can beimplemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention hasbeen described in connection with particular examples thereof, the truescope of the invention should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon astudy of the drawings, specification and following claims.

1. A connection system, said system comprising: a pair of connector assemblies comprising a first catch and a second catch configured to mate in an interlocking fashion; and a retaining pin configured to retain the first and second catches of the connector assemblies in an interlocked state.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each first catch is configured to attach to a coupling support of a first structure and each second catch is configured to attach to a coupling support of a second structure.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second catches are configured to mate in the interlocking fashion by placing the first structure coupling support adjacent the second structure coupling support and moving one of the coupling supports relative to the other longitudinally and coplanar such that the first catches interlock with the second catches.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to be positioned between the first catch of one of the connector assemblies and a cross strut of the second structure when the first catches interlock with the second catches to thereby retain the first and second catches in the interlocked state.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to drop between the first catch of one of the connector assemblies and a cross strut of the second structure, via gravity, when the first catches interlock with the second catches to thereby retain the first and second catches in the interlocked state.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to slidably connect to an auxiliary strut of the first structure.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to slidably connect to the coupling support of the first structure.
 8. A modular rack system, said system comprising: a first rack module and a second rack module; a pair of locking connector assemblies, each locking connector assembly comprising a pair of mating brackets and a locking pin that retains the respective mating brackets in an engaged position; and at least one non-locking connector assembly comprising a pair of the mating brackets, wherein the connector assemblies are adapted to couple the first rack module to the second rack module.
 9. The modular rack system of claim 8, wherein the mating brackets comprise a first bracket attached to a coupling strut of the first rack module and a second bracket attached to a coupling strut of the second rack module, the first and second brackets configured to engage when the coupling struts are placed adjacent each other and the first rack module is moved relative to the second rack module along a longitudinal line parallel to the coupling struts.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the locking pin is configured to be positioned between the first bracket of a locking connector assembly and a retaining strut of the second rack module when the first bracket of the locking connector assembly engages the second bracket of the locking connector assembly to thereby retain the first and second brackets of the locking connector assembly in the engaged state.
 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the locking pin is configured to drop between the first bracket of a locking connector assembly and a retaining strut of the second rack module, via gravity, when the first bracket of the locking connector assembly engages the second bracket of the locking connector assembly to thereby retain the first and second brackets of the locking connector assembly in the engaged state.
 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first brackets are attached to an inner side of the coupling strut of the first rack module and extend adjacent an inner side of the coupling strut of the second rack module preventing the first rack module from moving relative to the second rack module other than along the longitudinal line.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the second brackets are attached to an inner side of the coupling strut of the second rack module and extend adjacent an inner side of the coupling strut of the first rack module preventing the second rack module from moving relative to the first rack module other than along the longitudinal line.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the locking pins are further configured to slidably connect to a locking pin strut of the first rack module.
 15. The system of claim 8, wherein the locking pins are further configured to slidably connect to the coupling strut of the first rack module.
 16. A connection system, said system comprising: a plurality of connector assemblies adapted to connect a first module to a second module; at least one retaining pin configured to maintain a respective connector assembly in a locked state.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein each connector assembly comprises a first catch affixed to a first member of the first module and a second catch affixed to a first member of the second module, the first and second catches configured to interlock under linear movement of the first module relative to the second module, the movement along a longitudinal line parallel to the first member of the second module.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the retaining pin is configured be positioned into a space between the first catch of the respective connector assembly and a second member of the second module when the first catches interlock with the second catches.
 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the retaining pin is configured to drop, via gravity, into the space between the first catch of the respective connector assembly and a second member of the second module when the first catches interlock with the second catches.
 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first catches are affixed to an inner side of the first member of the first module and extend adjacent to an inner side of the first member of the second module such that the first module cannot move other than along the longitudinal line due to interference between the first catches and the first member of the second module.
 21. The system of claim 17, wherein the second catches are affixed to an inner side of the first member of the second module and extend adjacent to an inner side of the first member of the first module such that the second module can not move other than along the longitudinal line due to interference between the second catches and the first member of the first module.
 22. The system of claim 16, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to slidably connect to a second member of the first module.
 23. The system of claim 16, wherein the retaining pin is further configured to slidably connect to the first member of the first module.
 24. A method for connecting modules of a modular structure, said method comprising: interlocking a first locking connector bracket mounted to a first structural member of a first module with a second locking connector bracket mounted to a first structural member of a second module; interlocking a first non-locking connector bracket mounted to the first structural member of the first module with a second non-locking connector bracket mounted to the first structural member of the second module; and positioning a retaining pin between the first locking connector bracket and a second structural member of the second module to retain the first locking connector bracket interlocked with the second locking connector bracket and first non-locking connector bracket interlocked with the second non-locking connector bracket.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein interlocking the first locking and non-locking connector brackets with the second locking and non-locking connector brackets comprises: placing the first structural member of the first module parallel with and adjacent to the first structural member of the second module; and moving the first module, relative to the second module, in a direction parallel with the first structural members of the first and second modules such that the first locking connector bracket interlocks with the second locking connector bracket and first non-locking connector bracket interlocks with the second non-locking connector bracket.
 26. The method of claim 24, wherein positioning the retaining pin comprises allowing the retaining pin to drop between the first locking connector bracket and the second structural member of the second module, via gravity, when the first and second locking connector brackets interlock.
 27. The method of claim 24, wherein the first locking and non-locking connector brackets are mounted to an inner side of the first structural member of the first module and extend adjacent an inner side of the first structural member of the second module preventing the first module from moving relative to the second module other than in a direction parallel with the first structural members of the first and second modules.
 28. The method of claim 24, wherein the second locking and non-locking connector brackets are mounted to an inner side of the first structural member of the second module and extend adjacent an inner side of the first structural member of the first module preventing the second module from moving relative to the first module other than in a direction parallel with the first structural members of the first and second modules. 